Page 56 of With Us

Theo flicked on the blinker to turn onto his parents’ street. “Do me a favor, don’t bring it up with them. Kat was old enough to know him but too young to understand.”

“I’dneversay anything,” I said with a little more emphasis than necessary. At Theo’s surprised look, I shared again for the second time that weekend. “I remember how frustrating it was as a kid to be having a good day, and then someone ruined it by asking about my parents.”

He covered my hand on his knee, giving it a squeeze as we pulled into the driveway. “Then you get it.” As we walked to the front door, Theo grabbed my hand. “I forgot to tell you. Mom’s off the curry kick, and now she’s focused on Southern food. Dad was trying to convince her to not fry chicken, worrying she’d set the house on fire again.”

“Again?”

“There was a beignet incident a few years ago.”

“It wasn’t an incident, Theo,” his mom said from the doorway. “I followed the recipe exactly!”

“Did the recipe end with, ‘Call the fire department and a contractor to replace the kitchen cabinets’?”

Rachelle’s lips curved up. “I hated those old cabinets anyway.”

Theo kissed his mom’s cheek. “And the counters and stove?”

“That was a good stove. Reliable. This one’s temperature keeps going crazy.” Rachelle pulled me into a warm hug. “I’m so glad you could come.”

Theo chuckled from behind us. “I already told her about the hearing aid I’m going to need from you blowing out my ear drum.”

Other than rolling her eyes, she ignored him. “Come in. I made fried chicken—”

“Was Dad standing nearby with the fire extinguisher?” Theo asked, his dimpled grin growing as he teased his mom with a warm and natural comfort.

“It went completely fine,” she snapped, glaring at him before she returned his smile. “But yes, he did.”

Rachelle chatted about her seasoning process with the chicken as we walked through the living room and kitchen into a massive dining room.

When Theo had mentioned expanding the table, I’d pictured a round table with a middle insert. One of the homes I’d lived at had one, letting it seat six comfortably. There’d been eight of us at the time, so it’d been cramped.

What he’d meant, however, was a rectangle version of that on amuchlarger scale. The wood was thick and beautifully swirled. Heaping bowls of food were spread around on it with bottles of wine and pitchers of water.

The conversation paused as everyone looked our way.

All at once, noise erupted as people called their greetings, some people getting up to hug Theo and me.

When it died down and everyone sat, I realized I was clutching Theo’s hand. “Sorry,” I whispered as I started to release it.

Theo kept hold of mine. “Don’t be.” Using his other hand, he pressed on his ear and squinted his eyes, murmuring, “Maybe we’ll get a two for one deal on the hearing aids.”

“Theo, Dahlia, just in time,” Lou greeted as he entered the room carrying a large platter of fried chicken. Setting it on the table, he turned to both of us, pulling us each into a tight hug. His dark brown eyes were warm as they flicked between us, his dimpled smile almost identical to Theo’s. “Bellisima, huh?” He looked over his shoulder at a man sitting at the table who I didn’t recognize. “What’d I tell you, Al? My boy did good. They’ll make bei bambini, a whole house full. Strong, my boy.”

My Italian was limited to what I’d picked up from restaurant menus and Theo. However, I was about ninety-nine percent sure ‘bambini’ was some form of baby.

“Dad,” Theo said, his voice a low warning.

“What? I’m a proud pop who’s ready to be a proud papa! I’m getting to be an old man,” he said, rubbing his back. “I’ve got pains.”

“You’re giving us all pains,” Rachelle said, rubbing her rear. “Now cut it out.”

I wasn’t sure of their exact ages, but I’d guess early sixties, if not younger. Lou’s hair may have been gray, but he was far from old. He was a sharp man with an angle to work.

One that apparently involved babies.

“Gattina,” Theo whispered, his eyes searching my face.

Not wanting to do anything that’d make a scene, like freak out, I forced a grin. “Sorry, it smells so good in here.”

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